rewind, fast forward, unwind

It's been three weeks or so since I've posted here. If I could quantify in words the change in my life in the past three works, I would most certainly, but it's something that I'm still struggling to grasp.

When I left you it was in a foreign country, where I couldn't walk alone, and couldn't show any parts of my arms or legs. There was family, and mac and cheese, and sister bonding on Ikea couch. Only now have I begun to flip back through my photos and try to organize them and process them. I am so thankful to have gotten to spend those two weeks with my big sister, and am comforted to know that I will get to see her, my brother in law and my sweet niece in a little over a year from now.

However nice it is to reflect on my time there, it's been necessary that my life fall into quick step with my return to the states.

I flew back into the Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport (quite inaccurately named) and was greeted by the open arms of my mother, father and little sister. Also accompanying them was a smattering of my closest friends- from high school, college and everywhere in between. It was such a comfort to see familiar and loving faces as the first of my return to Alabama.

The days that followed were quite the blur of running around getting my computer fixed (Morocco killed it), buying new clothes (Morocco killed them) and visiting with friends and family. I never quite got the "two minute talk" down as my go-to answer when people asked about my semester, but I know that my mother sat and listened to me tirelessly speak about the past four months of my life. I ate Mexican food, Barbeque pork and RIBS and got a chick-fil-a chicken bisquit. I discovered that I even like sweet tea now! (thereby solidifying me as a true Southern Belle) I did a lot of sitting with my mom and a lot of joking with my dad and my sister and it was such sweet time. One thing that was a comfort while I was gone was to have a room mate who missed her family just as much as I did. Mary and I shared stories and laughed at our families and sat with each other the times that we were just plain homesick. I'm so thankful for my sweet friend and thankful for God's providence to give me a group of friends to call my family while I was in Morocco.

The four days that I spent at home were wonderful, but Wednesday morning I packed up and headed out for yet another adventure. I've situated myself, this time, in a more familiar place. Last summer the Lord brought me up to Nolensville, TN to do His work in Life Community Church. This summer, His ever faithful hand led me back to the same place to continue the work of discipling His children in the youth group here. If you've been on this online journey with me, you'll note that it was the move to Tennessee last summer that prompted me to start blogging.

These three weeks have been a blessing and a struggle all in one as my plate has been filled and the gas level in my new car has been emptied. I cannot be more thankful for the familiarity of a place that I grew to call home last summer and the blessing of the relationships that I began forming last summer. God has big things in store for this summer and I can only sit back and move my feet in an attempt to keep up with it all.